Summary: Conservative incumbent Tilly O’Neill-Gordon is seeking a third term in Miramichi-Grand Lake, a large rural riding in the centre of New Brunwsick.
Boundaries: This new riding is largely the former riding of Miramichi, with added parts of three other ridings to make up for its lack of population, most notably the Minto-Chipman area, as well as Harcourt and Bass River. The Elsipogtog First Nation is also now part of the Miramichi-Grand Lake riding.
Last Election: In the former riding of Miramichi, Conservative incumbent Tilly O’Neill-Gordon won by 29.3 per cent over NDP candidate Patrick Colford.
History: O’Neill-Gordon was first elected in 2008, defeating Liberal MP Charles Hubbard, who had held this riding since 1993, by 1,468 votes. Prior to O’Neill-Gordon’s election, the Liberals had held the riding surrounding Miramichi for 59 of the previous 63 years.
Demographics: French is the mother tongue of 23.9 per cent of the population, the fifth highest percentage in the province. The average income is $29,545, second lowest in Atlantic Canada.
Candidates
Conservative: Tilly O’Neill-Gordon, MP since 2008
NDP: Patrick Colford, President of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour
Liberal: Pat Finnigan, owner of a greenhouse business
Green: Matthew Ian Clark, inventory manager
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